


An Oasis All Their Own

by Nightscrawl



Series: The Meaning of More [11]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: M/M, Sex, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2019-09-17
Packaged: 2020-10-20 06:42:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20670998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nightscrawl/pseuds/Nightscrawl
Summary: Bending The Rule. Where Dorian Pavus has fun in nature.





	An Oasis All Their Own

**Author's Note:**

> Once again, thanks to [Schattenriss](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Schattenriss/pseuds/Schattenriss) for doing the beta!

Living near the heart of the Forbidden Oasis for the past week had rendered the unceasing sound of the waterfalls to white noise; Judah barely registered it as he attempted to sleep. On seeing the falls for the first time, an idea sparked in his mind, but if it was going to be done it had to be tonight. The oasis was clear of rifts, Venatori, one giant, and had a reduction in its critter population; they were leaving in the morning. 

The tent was dark, but not completely; small shafts of light trickled in through gaps in the heavy fabric, allowing him to see the face of the man who was mere inches away. Dorian did not like to be woken and would be disagreeable, and neither could Judah blame him on this night, as a good rest was needed prior to traveling. But the desire to see his idea realized, and his feeling that Dorian would enjoy it, urged him to make the attempt. 

Sitting up, he put a hand on Dorian’s shoulder, shook him gently and whispered his name. 

“Mmm,” came the barest acknowledgement of his existence and Judah tried again, altering the shake to a gentle waver that finally seemed to bring Dorian into consciousness. 

“Morning? Feels like I just went t’ sleep…” 

“No. Not yet.” 

“Venatori?” 

“No. Plus, I think we killed them all.” 

“Dragon?” 

“No.” They hadn’t even heard of a dragon in the general area and Judah began to be amused. 

“Corypheus?” 

Now Judah could tell he wasn’t being serious and lowered his head to Dorian’s shoulder to laugh quietly. “No.” 

“Then lemme ‘lone.” 

Judah leaned over him and said, “Be awake for me. Please.” 

Eyes open, voice stronger, Dorian was awake at last. “What is it, Judah?” 

“Would you… humor me and let me take you somewhere?” 

“ ‘Humor’ you? This is… a surprise?” Dorian asked. 

“Sort of?” 

“All right. But if anyone asks why I’m irritable I’m just going to blame you.” 

“More irritable than usual?” Judah teased, earning a glare in response. “I know you dislike camping,” he added in explanation. 

“It has its… charms,” Dorian said, and made to reach for parts of his armor. 

Judah gestured at his sword. “Don’t bother. Just boots. I’m only taking this in case I need a weapon.” 

“So no staff, I take it?” 

“You already _are_ a weapon, Dorian.” 

“Hm, true enough.” 

Their campsite was on a small, but easily navigable rise above the heart of the oasis; their tent was situated near the edge, slightly back from the others. Judah suspected that the Inquisition soldiers who erected the tents had chosen this position to give Dorian and him more privacy now that they were sharing. Moving over to the back wall of the tent, he propped up the fabric and gestured for him to slip through. 

“Sneaking out, are we?” 

“Mm-hmm.” 

“My, aren’t we adventurous?” 

Judah only grunted in response and followed through himself. Once below, he took Dorian’s hand and began to lead him along, the increasing loudness of the water a partial guide in the nighttime desert, illuminated only by the moon and stars. Once a distance away he felt free to speak a bit louder. “Like you haven’t done this before. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were a terror in the Circle.” 

“I was a model student. I know not of what you speak,” came Dorian’s reply, feigning innocence. 

Judah scoffed. “You never do what anyone wants, or expects.” 

“Isn’t that what I’m doing _now_?” 

As he was genuinely pleased that Dorian agreed to come along, Judah had no desire to tease further, and showed his appreciation with a glance and a smile. 

At the heart of the oasis was a shallow pool with several large rocks scattered about—the eroding remnants of fallen stonework. Judah led Dorian to one such rock, long and mostly flat, as a table. Placing his sword to the side, he sat on the table-rock and took Dorian’s other hand as the other man stood before him. 

Dorian found Judah’s manner puzzling. He was being intimate and affectionate in the way he was at Skyhold. It was not typical of him while they traveled, for although they were now sharing a tent, did kiss and sleep together, he was usually more reserved on these excursions. 

The waterfalls were mere steps away, so Judah modulated his voice to be heard above them. “We’re starting back to Skyhold tomorrow.” 

“Yes…” Dorian said, curious where this was going. 

“It’s going to take a couple of weeks.” 

“And?” 

“I thought—with all the sand and everything—you might appreciate a bath before the journey. Or a… shower, I suppose.” 

At the suggestion, a grin began to spread over Dorian’s face. “Did you? And there’s no ulterior motive?” 

“Well, maybe a little,” Judah said, pulling Dorian to him. 

“A little?” 

“Okay, not so little.” 

“What about our camp rule?” Dorian reminded. 

“We’re not in camp, are we?” 

“Inquisitor Trevelyan, the rule breaker.” 

“More like testing its flexibility. Besides, it’s _my_ rule,” Judah said, moving to stand in front of Dorian. 

“I see. And how flexible do you find it?” 

In response, Judah drew Dorian’s shirt over his head and tossed it onto the rock to join his sword. He slipped a hand to Dorian’s waist and stroked the skin with his thumb. “Pretty flexible,” he said, and leaned in to kiss. 

Having enjoyed the banter, Dorian initially smiled into the kiss, but it soon faded away as he became lost in the feeling of Judah’s mouth and hands. Wanting the touch of skin, he drew Judah’s shirt over his head and tossed it to the rock, forgotten as it landed close to his own. He ran a hand up Judah’s chest, to his neck, and held him there while they kissed. 

Judah brought his other hand between them and began to undo the laces of Dorian’s smallclothes, slowly pulling at the knot. When they were loosened, he slipped his hand inside, stroked down to Dorian’s butt and then back up again. 

Dorian released a sound of pleasure and began to pull away. The sound formed into words as he said, “You’re right, I would like to bathe,” and bent to pull off his boots and smallclothes. 

Grinning at the sudden abbreviation of their intimacy, Judah had no other response as he mimicked Dorian in his actions, pulling off his own boots and divesting himself of his smallclothes. 

The large waterfall that cascaded over the hidden temple above was broken into several smaller ones below. Dorian picked the largest of these—with room enough for two beneath—and gingerly made his way over to it, avoiding the miscellaneous rocks and branches that had settled there over time. The cool mist spraying from the water was refreshing and he stuck his hand in it to test the temperature. It was cold, especially in the nighttime desert, but perhaps not too much. 

He was wrong. Stepping into the waterfall, Dorian made a high-pitched, “Oh!” and took several deep breaths as his heart began racing at the sudden shock he had received. “Cold!” he called, feeling the chilly water beat against his head and pour over his body. 

Through the rushing of water, Dorian was able to hear the sound of Judah laughing at his discomfort. Although his form was blurred by water and fuzzed by mist, he was still able to see enough of him to reach through and yank the other man beneath the water to join him, earning the same sounds of shock as reward. 

Judah continued his laughter. “Oh! It _is_ cold!” 

“You’ll get used to it,” Dorian said, and began to massage his own scalp. While still very cold—colder than he’d prefer—it was no longer quite as startling, and even though they had no soap, it _was_ quite nice to be able to do this. 

The pressure of the water seemed to scour them clean. They helped it along by vigorous rubbing and were soon satisfied enough just to stand a few minutes in silence as it washed over and around them. 

After a time, Judah stepped though and inspected the area behind the waterfall, while Dorian remained, oblivious as he stood there with his eyes closed, face turned upward as the water rained on it. A small alcove was made luminous by the moon and starlight, reflected by the water and diffused by its mist. 

Dorian had been breathing deeply, mind unclouded by anything, as he stood beneath the water and focused on its temperature, its sound, its pressure, and the minor sting that came with water falling from such a height. He was forced back into awareness when he felt the warmth of Judah’s fingers around his and a gentle tug to the other side. Stepping through, a breath caught in his throat as he beheld Judah standing there, waiting for him; he looked magnificent: the water highlighted the curve of every muscle, the low light reflected off his eyes and revealed in them Judah’s desire for him, his lips were slightly parted and looked deliciously inviting. 

As Dorian stepped toward Judah, the water behind framed his figure, gleaming in silvered ribbons that cast him in sharp relief against them. The pleasant lines of his form were blurred into shadow, the edges of his skin touched by the light were shown as reddened by the temperature and millions of stinging droplets, his normally perfect hair was in disarray, and his mustache drooped—a thing Judah had never seen, even in the miserable climate of the Storm Coast. 

Pulling Dorian to him, Judah combed fingers through his hair, smoothing it back and making the other man look more like himself again. “You look—” he began, and cut himself short. “Radiant” was the word he wanted to use, but thought it too effusive and was unsure if Dorian would appreciate such a particular word, for although he knew himself to be handsome, such a compliment seemed more colored by emotion than mere appearance alone. Judah swallowed and tried a different course altogether. “Your mustache is drooping. It makes you look… villainous,” he said with a grin. 

While he did notice the change in attitude, it didn’t linger in his mind. In mock annoyance, Dorian _tsked_ and replied, “You’ve rooted me out. All this time and it only took a waterfall to reveal me. Well, shall we part ways now, Inquisitor, or did you have something else in mind?” 

Judah slipped his hands around Dorian’s waist as he pretended to consider the question. “I think I’ll keep you around a while longer.” 

“Will you? It seems rather risky, leaving yourself exposed. One might get the impression you like playing with fire.” 

“I know you won’t burn me.” 

“Sure of that, are you?” 

“Pretty sure.” 

“Hm… Let’s see,” Dorian said, closing what distance remained between them. 

Dorian touched his mouth to Judah’s, a comfortable nest of lips, and they remained so for a moment before each man opened to share in that deeper connection. One hand slid over Judah’s neck, around behind, and up to run his fingers over the wet fuzz of his lover’s hair; the other blindly traced the line of Judah’s collarbone, continued on as he cupped his shoulder, then moved behind to secure the embrace. 

Rather than caress, as he usually did during their kissing, Judah moved his hands beyond Dorian’s waist, grasping his own wrist to lock his grip behind the other man’s back. For several moments, he was only aware of the warmth and pressure of the body against his, the melding of mouths as their tongues played against each other. 

The different texture of Judah’s wet hair and skin caused an idea to spark in Dorian’s mind. He slowly began to draw his hands down Judah’s back, curling his fingers to give a light scratch. 

A new sensation began to bubble to the surface of Judah’s awareness. What began as a light tingle down his back, following the path of Dorian’s movement, slowly grew into an exhilarating, buzzy warmth that spread over his entire body. Just as he was starting to feel light-headed, the intensity suddenly increased to a sting and he broke the kiss in surprise. 

Out of breath, the two men stared at each other a moment before Dorian said, “Apologies. That was a bit too much for a first go.” 

“That was magic?” 

“Mm-hmm,” Dorian replied. “Should I not?” 

Judah had never thought of magic as alluring, yet Dorian made it so. “You should! It was amazing.” 

Dorian smiled, pleased at Judah’s enthusiasm. “I thought this was the perfect opportunity for some… experimentation. Water is quite the conductor of electricity, you know. We’re both wet; I felt it, too.” 

“You’ve never done it before.” 

“And _you’ve_ never been with a mage before.” 

There was a moment of silence as Judah considered the meaning of Dorian’s words. “You don’t need to be cautious with _me_, Dorian. I want to share in everything you are.” 

An involuntary smile of warmth lit up Dorian’s face, then he cleared his throat and it was gone. “Well then, shall we continue?” 

Judah offered his own smile in return. He leaned forward, close enough for Dorian to feel the breath against his mouth, and said, “Gladly,” then connected to resume their kiss. This time, he allowed his hands to wander and explore: he felt across Dorian’s back, the flexing ridge of shoulder blade, down to roll his palms over Dorian’s hips, behind again to stroke down to his butt, and back up to feel a different route over the body of the man before him. 

Taking his own path over Judah’s body, Dorian moved his hands over his shoulders, then down his back and sides, and up once more. A slight coaxing pressure from Judah caused him to take a couple of steps back so that he stood against the wall of the alcove. The rocks were wet and rough, yet he barely felt anything beyond his own increasing arousal, feeling himself growing hard between them. 

The intensity of the kiss increased. Judah did a firm rub against Dorian as he felt a surge in his own arousal. They broke the kiss as each man had a small moan of pleasure. Out of breath, they continued with lighter kisses. 

Judah licked up Dorian’s chin, past even the patch of hair, to grasp the lower lip between his teeth and gave a light pull; he took the top lip as well, feeling the mustache brush against his teeth. A new, softer kiss was next as he separated slightly to run a hand down Dorian’s chest, then farther on to grasp his erection and give slow, sensuous strokes. 

Releasing a shaky sigh of pleasure, Dorian looked down between them and found it even _more_ arousing to watch. Even so, Judah’s steady rhythm had him nowhere near climax. 

“Feel good?” Judah asked. 

Dorian made a low, “Mmm,” as he felt Judah tighten his grip, then answered, “Mm-hmm.” 

“Good,” Judah replied. After a few more strokes, he added, “Here’s something better.” 

Never ceasing the continuous movement of his hand, Judah lowered himself to kneel before Dorian. Even in the lower light, he was able to see a small bead of pre-come; with a long, single lick, he tasted it, earning a pleased moan. In one fluid motion, he wrapped his fingers firmly around the base of Dorian’s erection, placed his lips against the exposed head, then slowly took him in his mouth. He began to suck and move as he stroked the underside with his thumb. 

The two different sensations of Judah’s mouth and hand on Dorian’s erection were almost excruciatingly pleasurable. He was hot and wet and his tongue stroked him inside of his mouth as he moved. The fingers around the base were an intense pressure, not even of the kind felt when fully inside Judah himself; the thumb stroked to the rhythm of his mouth. 

Judah’s other hand was not idle. He rubbed along Dorian’s thigh and up toward his chest; he went over to the side, curling his fingers to give a light scratch as he moved down again; he slid behind to Dorian’s butt where he grasped a single cheek, allowing his fingers to play tantalizingly close to the space between. 

Despite a corner of his mind maintaining concentration on his task, Judah found the sounds of Dorian’s pleasure incredibly arousing. He felt its warmth pulsing in his groin and increased his pace in response. 

Dorian’s breathing quickened as he got closer to release. He clutched at the rock behind him as it became a sweet ache that he felt would never end. After what seemed an eternity on the edge, he came into Judah’s mouth with a deep groan, feeling his lover swallow around him in a final sensation of pleasure. 

With attention to those moments of post-orgasm rawness, Judah eased his mouth away, removed his hands, and waited a moment for Dorian to come down. 

Head beginning to clear, Dorian realized that Judah was still kneeling and he demanded, “Come up here.” When Judah stood, he pulled him in for a kiss, tasted himself in his mouth and found that he liked it—the two of them in one flavor. Pulling away, he looked at him askance as he said, “You’ve been holding out on me.” 

Judah laughed at the compliment. “Enjoyed it, did you?” 

“I will say that it seems you have more practice in that than… in other areas. That is, until I got hold of you,” Dorian said, his tone still playful to let Judah know he didn’t mean it in a depreciatory sense. 

Judah moved a fallen strand of wet hair away from Dorian’s forehead. “I did, and I suspect I’ll be telling you why. But not tonight.” 

It had not escaped Dorian’s notice that Judah was still aroused. “No, not tonight,” he agreed. With a shift to a more suggestive tone, he added, “I’m not done with you just yet.” 

Dorian gently pushed Judah away and turned them around so their positions were reversed against the alcove wall. One hand went to Judah’s waist, while the other ran up his body, behind to his back, and held him there, effectively cushioning him against the rock. His arms scraped against the rough surface, but he hardly felt it. 

While Judah had one hand in Dorian’s hair, the other was across his back, holding him close. In this way they stood and kissed for some minutes, waiting for their desire to rise together. After a time, he felt Dorian beginning to harden again and felt a warm flush as his body responded. He smiled into the kiss and started to laugh, giddy in his excitement at their mutual pleasure, and the kiss was broken. 

Knowing the reason for Judah’s response, Dorian laid his head against his shoulder and allowed him to get it out of his system as he caught his breath. 

The momentary euphoria passed and Judah just stood there, stroking Dorian’s hair as he leaned against him. “Sorry.” 

“No stopping.” 

“Oh no,” Judah said, and reversed their positions again. 

After a moment of adjustment, their erections were pressed between them as Judah leaned into Dorian and began the kiss again. He slipped his hands to Dorian’s waist, then moved behind to his butt and back. His arousal back at full force, he began a pleasurable thrust of hips that had them rub together, slowly building the friction between them. 

Leaning against the alcove wall, Dorian widened his stance so Judah could stand between his legs, bringing them closer together. A slight, suggestive motion of Judah’s hand had him raise a leg to rub against him with his thigh, adding another source of friction. He felt warmth suffuse through his whole body as Judah moved against him. 

Their breaths deepened and the kiss was broken as they began to focus only on the sensation between them. Soft noises escaped with each exhale that would have been lost in the sound of water had they not been so very near. They tightened their grip on each other’s bodies in their eagerness, almost hard enough to bruise. They were at the same level and felt that each thrust could be the last; they only needed another, and another, then they finally came together, frozen and moaning as their orgasm carried them away. 

Judah sagged against Dorian and dropped his head to his shoulder, breathing heavily. Dorian wrapped his arms more fully around Judah’s back and held him while they came down. 

Afterward, they stood a bit apart from the rock and kissed softly, hands loosely draped over the other’s waist, intimate, close, and satisfied in the pleasure they had given and received. 

Finally separating, Dorian gave Judah a light kiss. “Twice. Thank you,” he said with a smile. 

Judah only grinned in response and kissed him again. “Well, now that we’re all warmed up, ready for the cold again before we head back?” he asked, speaking of the waterfall and washing themselves clean after their recent effort. 

“I suppose,” Dorian said with a sigh. 

Taking Dorian’s hand, Judah led him underneath the chilly water. The shock was expected so there was no exclamation, but they still breathed heavily as their bodies grew accustomed to it again. Not inclined to separate, they ran hands over each other’s bodies, feeling the warmth of skin as the water cascaded over them. Finally, they reluctantly parted, knowing their time there was done, and moved away from the water back toward the table-rock to don their underthings. 

After pulling on his second boot, Dorian sat on the rock with one leg bent against himself, staring at the waterfall, trying to burn the experience into his mind. After pulling on his own boots, Judah noticed this and they both sat there quietly for a time, content in each other’s company. 

Back at Skyhold, even when together and alone in his quarters, Judah felt surrounded by the infrastructure of the Inquisition. With that structure in place also came the reminder of its purpose, his role as Inquisitor, his importance as the only one able to seal rifts, and a myriad other things. But here, in this moment in the Forbidden Oasis, was none of that: no war table or advisors; no rifts, he had sealed all those in the area; no Venatori, they had killed most and driven the rest away; no red templars, and no Corypheus. 

Judah looked at Dorian and felt his chest tighten. He had the sudden, selfish desire to remain there with him and never return, to the Inquisition, to his responsibilities, to the politics involved, to the very end of the world. “I want—” he started, the thought slipping unbidden from his mouth; he stopped himself and looked away. With a sigh, he stood from the rock and extended his hand. 

Dorian heard the words, noticed the tone, and felt he understood. He made no response as he took the proffered hand. 

They walked silently back to the camp, creeping in the same way they had left. As far as they knew, no one had ever known they were gone. 

Once inside their tent they peeled off their wet clothes and tossed them in a corner until the morning when they would don fresh, dry ones. The temperature of the falls and the cool night air of the desert left them chilled and they huddled together under the covers for warmth, but they likely would have done so regardless. 

Judah was lying partially on his back with Dorian leaning into him, skin against skin, keeping each other warm. He brought up a hand to trace the line of Dorian’s trimmed hair as he asked, “You enjoyed it?” very low, almost a whisper, so the sound would not carry. 

The question seemed almost rhetorical—after all of that, Judah needed reassurance?—but Dorian felt that he _did_ expect an answer. The word “enjoy” seemed wholly inadequate for how he felt about the experience. It was the most romantic thing he had ever done, and the most romantic gesture that anyone had ever done _for_ him. Even through the teasing and innuendo, he knew that Judah did not _expect_ sex, it was something that happened naturally and mutually between them, and _this_ is what made the romance. 

How to respond? Dorian’s experience with romance was sadly limited, even though he knew Judah was understanding of the reason. 

Dorian turned more fully into Judah, wanting to see how he looked in asking the question. He saw there the care that Judah had for him and appreciated it greatly. He saw too a trace of apprehension and didn’t understand it. This was the same concern he had seen when Judah inquired about tent sharing prior to this trip. Why should he feel so? They enjoyed each other and Dorian felt he’d never given him reason to worry. “You have to ask?” 

“You’re not the only one who wonders about… things, Dorian,” was Judah’s reply. He was not truly concerned that Dorian was going to offer a negative, but rather had recognized within himself a deepening of feelings and was attempting to make the tentative steps in learning Dorian’s own for him. 

The very basis of this relationship had been the possibility that it could turn into something more. It was something that Judah wanted for Dorian as well as himself. Dorian had even admitted that it could happen, and moreover seemed to want it to. But that was then, when they had still been only friends with the suggestion of growing closer. Now Judah felt it in himself, and while he had no desire to push Dorian into declaring his feelings, he still wanted to know them. 

The response had given Dorian a hint of understanding, recalling looks that Judah had, things that he said, or _wanted_ to say. “Of course I enjoyed it, Judah. You were there.” 

Judah tightened his grip around Dorian, satisfied with his answer. He saw it was honest and fair, and all he should rightly expect at the moment. 

Quiet settled over them and they slept. Tomorrow’s traveling would see them more weary than they would be had they gotten a night’s unbroken rest, but they each thought the sacrifice worth the taking. It had been a lovely experience, one to remember and recall as a moment where the world seemed empty but for them, and all was quiet and at peace, except for the rush of water and the sound of a lover’s pleasure. 

* * * * * 

Teetering on the edge of awareness, Dorian was displeased when Judah’s warmth drew away from him. Real morning had come and they had to make ready for their lengthy journey back to Skyhold. The soft shuffling of Judah’s initial preparations brought him awake and he stretched beneath the covers, making a pained noise. He felt… sore? Perhaps the waterfall had been more forceful than he’d perceived it to be. A glance at his arm as he lowered it from above his head showed it to be marked by scratches, with minor bruising on the bony areas; an odd occurrence. 

Dorian sat up with a sigh and the covers fell away as he reached for his own saddlebags to retrieve fresh underclothes for the day’s traveling. He heard Judah gasp over his shoulder and made to look at him, but was only able to get a brief glimpse of a horrified expression before Judah put a hand on his shoulder and turned him away as if inspecting his back. 

“Oh Maker…” was all Judah managed to say. The entirety of Dorian’s back, from shoulders down to his butt, was covered in scrapes and scratches; some long, some short, some deeper than others; and large, dark bruises, particularly about the shoulder blades and spine. “The rocks…” he added, and trailed away. 

Hearing this, Dorian looked at his arms again, remembered and said, “Oh.” He pulled his shaving mirror out of his bags, shoved it into Judah’s stunned hands while saying, “Hold this,” then moved a bit away and positioned himself so he could look and get a somewhat limited view of his back. “Oh dear,” was all he said. It really was as bad as Judah’s reaction made it out to be. He no longer wondered at the soreness. 

With one hand, he grasped his opposite elbow to pull that arm tightly against himself, allowing greater reach of his back. He took a moment to center himself, had a deep steadying breath, and felt most of the soreness fade away as a wave of magic flowed down his back. 

“It’s not all healed,” Judah observed. 

“Yes, well, you might have noticed that healing isn’t exactly my forte.” 

“I’m sorry, Dorian. If I realized…” 

Dorian raised an eyebrow in response. Clearly _neither_ of them realized while they were enjoying themselves in the alcove beneath the waterfall. “We used the rocks to get our rocks _off_, didn’t we? It’s probably the most fun I’ve ever had in, _ugh_, _nature_.” 

“But—” 

“Judah,” Dorian began, voice hardening, then at a thought he paused and moved over to him. Turning him away, he found similar markings as his own, though in a far lesser amount in proportion with their individual time spent against the rock wall. “You have some too,” he said, then swiped a faintly glowing hand over Judah’s back and added, “But not anymore.” 

“You healed me?” 

“Of course. Yours were minor. I bet you hardly felt them.” 

“You should have left them.” 

“Judah, I like you a great deal, but you’re being uncharacteristically silly and impractical about this,” Dorian replied, beginning to be irritated. “You’re the Inquisitor. Shield in hand, you block enemies’ view of my handsome self as I twirl my staff and hurl fireballs in their faces. _You_ need to be in top physical form, whereas _I_ do not; a brain injury would be another matter entirely.” 

Judah turned around to face Dorian again. “At least let me put some elfroot oil on your back. That’s what it’s _actually_ for, you know.” 

Dorian just sighed. “Fine,” he said, and turned around again. 

“Thank you.” Judah reached into his own saddlebags, took out the vial, placed a few drops on his hand, and began to gently massage it into Dorian’s back. 

Afterward, Dorian turned to face him again and placed a hand on the side of his face as he said, “_I_ enjoyed it. _You_ enjoyed it. That’s all that matters.” 

“Okay.” 

Dorian sighed a final time, knowing it was going to be a long day. He already wanted a nap.

End.


End file.
